Moat In Front Of Forecourt Of Marsh Court To The North

The moat in front of the forecourt of Marsh Court, located to the north, was constructed between 1901 and 1905 by the architect Edwin Lutyens. It features a grassed area surrounded by dressed stone walls, with some sections made of knapped flint. The moat has an E-shaped northern front with long projecting wings, and it forms a U-shape that runs from the ends of the wings, connecting to a long east-west section. A bridge crosses the moat at the center, and yew hedges line the sides of the courtyard, while the northern end remains open with steps leading down on each side of the bridge.

The bridge itself has a brick-lined arch and a moulded architrave with keyblocks, and the parapet rises in the center. On the far side of the moat, there is a balustraded parapet on a wall that includes areas of knapped flint. The eastern side wall, approximately 3 meters high and made of similar materials, separates the main courtyard from the service range, extending to the corner of the wing. At the opposite end, there is a tall stone gate pier that originally had a finial.

At the courtyard end of the bridge, the roadway widens and is bordered by a short balustrade, leading to six wide steps that descend into the moat. The southern balustraded wall of the moat overlooks a lower walkway to the west. In front of the wings, there is a flight of steps leading into the moat, with a pathway crossing it. On one side, a further flight of steps descends to the Long Walk, while on the other side, the pathway passes through an arch in the screen wall, leading to a flight of steps that rises in front of the service range.